


When the Hunter Loves the Hunted

by Rylee_Writes



Series: Polyshipweek 2018 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, Angst, Aromantic Asexual Natasha Romanov, Aromantic Character, Asexual Bucky Barnes, Asexual Character, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Clint Barton, Bisexual Steve Rogers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, OT4, Polyamory, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 07:17:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15334686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rylee_Writes/pseuds/Rylee_Writes
Summary: Written for polyshipweek over on tumblr forthispromptIt's never a good idea to fall in love with the people you're supposed to hate. But maybe, just maybe, everything won't turn out as bad as they think it will.





	When the Hunter Loves the Hunted

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally super angsty, but I wasn't comfortable with the ending so I rewrote it. 
> 
> Angst is so not my thing. 
> 
> -Kieren

Natasha wouldn’t say she hates being a vampire, but she doesn’t love it either. Especially when there’s a hunter on her ass and she can’t shake them. 

She’s supposes he’s cute, for someone that’s trying to kill her. Even looks like he might be able to get the job done, although many others have tried before him. The only problem? She knows him, has known him for years, actually. He’s her boyfriend - well, one of her three boyfriends - and she has no idea how he found out she’s not human. 

She’s crouched on top of a building, watching as he walks around below her, presumably trying to pick up her trail. It’s unlikely, but he is very good at what he does and she knows it’s only a matter of time. Pulling out her cell phone, she shoots Bucky a text. He’s less likely to freak out than Clint is at the prospect of their boyfriend knowing none of them are human. Not that she knows for sure Steve knows about either of them.

To: Bucky  
He found out. Be careful. 

It’s vague on purpose, but she knows he’ll understand. 

She doesn’t expect a response and she doesn’t get one. It’s safe to say if Steve knows about her - and she still has no idea how in the hell he found out - that he knows about Bucky and Clint, too. At least, that’s the assumption they’ll go on, just to be safe. They had all hoped this would never happen, but they had planned for it regardless. 

They would meet up in a safehouse she and Clint had set up years ago, before they had even met Bucky, one they were sure Steve knew nothing about. The only problem was she had to be sure he wasn’t still following her before she even thought about heading there. She had watched Steve hunt various supernaturals for years and knew just how good he was. If he truly had her scent it would be difficult to shake him. 

She watches curiously as he stops in his tracks and looks up. He doesn’t see her, as far as she can tell, but she freezes nonetheless. She loves Steve as much as she loves both Bucky and Clint, and there’s no doubt that he loves all three of them as well, but she has no idea if that love is enough to keep him from killing them. 

She keeps her eyes on Steve for a few more minutes until he turns away and heads in the opposite direction. It’s impossible to tell if he caught another scent or if he’s simply giving up, but she doubts it was the latter. One thing she knows for certain is that he never gives up on a hunt. 

She shadows him for a while, but ultimately finds out nothing new. He doesn’t seem to be going anywhere specific and, unless she’d suffered some form of memory loss, he isn’t following any kind of trail of hers. 

Maybe he was hunting a different supernatural? It was a nice thought, but she doesn’t believe it is the truth for a second. 

She has been debating on whether or not to approach him and see just what he knows for the last half hour or so, but still hasn’t decided yet when her phone rings. Glancing at the screen, she’s more than a little surprised to see Steve’s name pop up. 

At first, she isn’t sure whether or not she should answer, but it’s Steve. Even if he does want her dead for who she is can she really fault him for that? She won’t lie, she’s a vampire and she has killed before, but that was a long time ago and she has a lot better control over her bloodlust than she ever has before. Bucky and Clint have killed, too, but never on purpose and only ever because they lost control. They’ve never blamed her for her kills, but she has a feeling Steve will. 

“Hello?” She says hesitantly, almost afraid he’s trying to distract her so he can find her and take her out more easily. 

“Hey, Nat,” he says warmly, and she can tell he’s smiling. A good sign, she supposes, but she’s not quite ready to let her guard down yet. Maybe if it was only her own safety in question, but it’s not so she can’t.

“Steve.” She forces herself to keep her voice neutral, not as warm as his, but not cold either. It’s how she normally speaks on the phone and she doubts he’ll find it strange. “Is everything okay?” 

He hesitates just a second too long before speaking, which makes her more than a little wary. “It will be. I won’t be home for awhile. Could you...could you let Bucky and Clint know?” 

Even though he doesn’t know about the three of them being non-human, they have always known he was a hunter. Before he would get involved with any of them he was honest about who and what he was. Natasha had always felt a little guilty that they hadn’t done the same, but she could never be sure how he would react. 

She forces a smile even though he can’t see it, knowing he’ll still be able to hear it. “Don’t worry. Stay safe. We’ll see you soon.” 

She really hopes she doesn’t live to regret those words. 

They talk for a few more minutes ending the call. After sliding the phone back into her pocket she has no idea how to feel. Nothing he had said made it feel like he knew she wasn’t human, and she has to wonder if he even knows it’s her she’s hunting. Somehow, that thought only makes her feel worse. 

It doesn’t take her too long to get to the safehouse where Bucky and Clint are waiting once she’s sure that Steve is nowhere close to her trail. She almost gets set on fire when she opens the door to the apartment, but she’s not too angry about it. One boyfriend’s already trying to kill her, why not two?

Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time she’s almost been set on fire. She is dating both a dragon and a hellhound, after all. 

Of course Clint won’t stop apologizing until she shuts him up with a kiss and then reels Bucky in for a long hug. 

None of them can calm down, even though they all know that they should be safe. Bucky hasn’t stopped frowning since Natasha walked in the door and it kills her that there’s nothing she can do to to make it disappear. Clint is on the opposite end of the spectrum, clinging to both her and Bucky like he’s afraid if he lets them go they’ll vanish forever. She hates to admit that he might not actually be wrong about that.

None of them can really seem to wrap their heads around the fact that Steve is hunting Natasha and that Bucky and Clint might also be in danger. Even Natasha, who actually saw him in action, can’t quite believe it. 

None of them are really sure they’ll be able to sleep, but they have no idea what tomorrow will bring so Natasha figures why not. Clint is the first to fall asleep - no surprise there - but only after he’s sandwiched in between Bucky and Natasha. There isn’t much to say about the situation and even if there was Natasha isn’t sure she would want to voice it. 

She’s not really sure when she fell asleep - or when Bucky did, for that matter - but when she wakes up she’s not surprised to find that Steve managed to find them. After making sure Clint and Bucky are still asleep she gets up and makes her way back to the living room, steps hesitant.

Steve is sitting on the couch, head in his hands. She’s not sure if that’s a good sign or not, but as she approaches he looks up and she freezes. There are tears in his eyes…and, well, she’s not really sure how to react to that. 

Before she can say a word Steve is on his feet, talking so quickly she can’t make out any of the words he’s actually saying. With vampire hearing, that’s saying something. She thinks it’s an apology - or several - but it’s almost impossible to tell. 

She still hasn’t made up her mind about what to do when Bucky and Clint appear in the doorway behind her. She can sense them, even if the way that Steve goes absolutely still and quiet hadn’t given them away. 

Steve opens his mouth like he’s about to start the string of apologies all over again, but before he can even make a sound Clint has launched himself at their boyfriend, wrapping himself so tightly around Steve that he couldn’t escape even if he wanted to. As soon as they make contact they’re falling back onto the floor, but they don’t seem to mind. 

It’s easy to forget that Clint’s a hellhound until you see him act like a giant puppy and then it’s obvious. 

Bucky leans against Natasha’s back, wrapping one arm around her waist. She glances back at him, gives him a small smile. “You think we’ll be okay?” 

The two of them watch Steve and Clint holding on to each other, both of them trying unsuccessfully to hold back tears, and Bucky smiles. He presses a kiss to Natasha’s cheek before resting his chin on her shoulder. “Yeah. I think we’ll survive this.”


End file.
